Welcome Back!

Welcome back everyone! We are excited to start our 2014 – 2015 academic year. Each year brings new beginnings, as well as endings. Having said that, I would like to make a few announcements of recent staff changes.

Lisa Bernstein is taking the year off and is staying at home with her two wonderful children. We have hired a new teacher in her place for the year. His name is Randy Dittman and we are happy to have him. He has experience working with learners with similar learning profiles. He will be calling the parents of his learners today and tomorrow for introductions! Mr. Dittman will be working with McKenzie Letzring who was covering for Ms. Withers last year. What a great team!

We have opened a new classroom with a familiar face to lead us. Kathleen Crighton who was working as a paraprofessional last year is excited to have her own classroom, teaching some of our primary age learners.

Dena Chase, a past teacher, has returned as we search to replace Christina Belbute who recently announced she will be moving on to teach at a different school. We fondly say goodbye to her this week.

Our nurse, Staci Doherty, is now full time. And Fathom, will now be working five days a week! Fathom, our therapy dog of course (increased hours by popular demand). We have a new Art teacher, Maria Atherton who was a familiar face as well. She was an Art Therapy intern a few years ago. We also have new reading tutor, Mary Smolak, who will be the driving force behind our literacy instruction! We are excited to welcome new staff and ideas.

We will be having a T-shirt contest next week and our Field Day, filled with team building exercises, will be Friday September 12. More information to follow about both.

We are having a wonderful first day and staff and learners seem very happy to be back! Here’s to a successful year! Thank you all for being part of our school community. We are very lucky to have such wonderful learners and families. I cannot express how joyous we feel each day to spend time with your children.

Also a reminder to check you calendar for our school schedule and hours.